So, let’s be real, life is kinda crazy right now. School is online (or just canceled altogether), and we are basically forced to stay inside for the protection of society. The world seems to have ground to a halt, and life is somehow both boring and anxiety-inducing.
Being a former online student, I’ve mastered the many ways of defeating boredom and temporarily ignoring reality all from the comfort of home. So, in the words of Phineas Flynn, “I know what we’re going to do today!!”
Go HAM on the free trials!
Interested in trying out Audible, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, etc? If you haven’t yet, now is the time to finally claim those free trials YouTubers are always promoting. Personally, I suggest Audible. When I recently signed up, I was taken aback by the plethora of quality entertainment available on this site.
Side note: If you don’t want to sign up for a free trial or pay for Audible, most people in the metro-Atlanta area with a library card get free access to Hoopla, which has hundreds of free audiobooks and songs. If you don’t have a library card, many local libraries are now offering online resources.
Write or exercise your creative outlet of choice!
Websites such as Medium Digest, Youngwriterssociety, VOX ATL or BuzzFeed Community allow people to publish articles and other written pieces absolutely free. Alternatively, you can create a short film, paint or sculpt your magnum opus. If you are unsure of how to go about finding the best creative outlet to exercise at home, check out this VOX 5 for inspiration!
Get up and get active!
Mental health and physical health are very closely linked, do your best to take some time and walk around your neighborhood (at a safe distance from other people). If you’re not the outdoorsy type (or if you’re trying to avoid Atlanta’s pollen purge) try an at-home workout app (I suggest 7-minute workout) and get a workout in without even leaving your bedroom.
Purge your closet!
Go through everything you have, and find what you don’t need. Once you’ve located these items you can either give them away or put them aside to sell later on Depop, Poshmark, or Etsy. Going through your clothes is also a good opportunity to find new ways to style your old favorites.
Plan and execute an extremely elaborate scavenger hunt for your family members or roommates.
Write notes in cryptic riddles, create an elaborate map, perhaps include visual puzzles, too! Scavenger-hunt-fun.com is a great source for making your game more advanced than a basic easter egg hunt.
BONUS: Update or create your resume.
When the present sucks, you gotta look ahead to the future. I don’t want to sound like a college counselor right now, but in all honesty, focusing on working toward your future career goals is a great way to spend your time.
